Morocco's Commitment to Africa
In a strategic shift that underscores Morocco's dedication to its African identity, the nation has integrated its African affiliation into the core of its foreign policy. This approach encompasses a range of political, economic, and security dimensions, with the issue of Western Sahara serving as the primary lens through which Morocco evaluates the sincerity of its partnerships and the effectiveness of its alliances. The recent celebration of "Africa Day" by the Moroccan Foreign Ministry provided a platform to highlight five foundational pillars of this African dimension, which include a policy of belonging, optimism, and trust, a comprehensive foreign policy approach, the exchange of expertise with African nations, and the launch of significant regional initiatives.
During the celebration, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita emphasized that Morocco is an inseparable part of Africa, stating that it is inconceivable to imagine the continent without the Moroccan Kingdom, which enshrines its African component as a fundamental aspect of Moroccan identity in its constitution. Bourita's remarks resonate with those of King Mohammed VI during the 28th African Union summit in Addis Ababa in 2017, where he declared, "Africa is my continent and my homeland." Since Morocco's official return to the African Union in the same year, the country has transitioned from a defensive diplomatic posture to one focused on building influence through economic, security, religious, and developmental cooperation.
Expanding Alliances and Economic Cooperation
The Moroccan vision towards Africa is built on a comprehensive policy that spans diplomatic, economic, security, military, spiritual, and humanitarian sectors. Official sources indicate that Morocco has signed nearly 1,800 bilateral agreements with African countries. The Kingdom prioritizes a development-oriented approach that emphasizes shared growth and the exchange of knowledge, actively sharing its expertise with other African nations while also learning from their diverse developmental experiences. Bourita noted that over 1,200 African professionals participate annually in these capacity-building programs through more than 100 training courses.
This Moroccan strategy is predicated on the understanding that the Western Sahara issue is not solely addressed within the confines of the United Nations but also through the expansion of alliances within Africa and the establishment of shared economic interests. Morocco has previously hosted the "First African Conference on Human Development" in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, aiming to promote balanced and harmonious global human development by enhancing cooperation among South countries and fulfilling commitments made at various international forums, particularly those related to the Millennium Development Goals.
Furthermore, Morocco has launched several regional initiatives to support the continent's development and stability, including the "Atlantic Dakhla Port Initiative" and the "Gas Pipeline Project" between Nigeria and Morocco, which involves thirteen African nations along the Atlantic coast. Morocco has positioned itself as the leading automobile exporter in Africa and a major exporter of phosphates, with the "Tangier Med Port" serving as the continent's primary container port. Reports from official institutions, such as the recent African Development Bank report on the "Africa Manufacturing Index 2025," indicate that Morocco has emerged as "the leading industrial economy in Africa," surpassing South Africa due to sustainable growth in industrial value, diversification of exports, and the implementation of a robust and effective industrial policy.
In education and training, Morocco has become a training hub for African youth, with over 60,000 African students currently pursuing higher education in the Kingdom through cooperative programs. For the academic year 2025-2026, Morocco has allocated 5,500 scholarships for African countries. In terms of security, Morocco participates in peacekeeping operations, reaffirming its commitment to the territorial integrity of African nations and the stability of the continent. The Kingdom believes that stability is a fundamental pillar for development and must be built on partnership, cooperation, and trust. Additionally, stability in Africa relies heavily on combating separatist movements, terrorism, and organized crime networks, according to the Moroccan perspective.
International relations and conflict management scholars assert that Morocco's involvement in the United Nations peacekeeping process enhances its influence and protects its vital interests amid regional and global instability, while demonstrating the effectiveness of Moroccan security diplomacy in maintaining strategic balances in its regional and African surroundings. In light of the "International Day of Peacekeeping" observed on May 29 each year, reports from "Hespress" have suggested that Morocco's peacekeeping efforts reflect a gradual transition from a "participatory" diplomacy to an "institutional engineering" diplomacy, indicating that Morocco no longer seeks mere presence within international frameworks but aims to contribute to shaping their priorities, particularly concerning African issues.
Nasser Bourita leads this approach through intensive engagements in Sub-Saharan Africa, whether through bilateral visits, hosting African ministers in Rabat, or promoting South-South cooperation projects. This proactive stance results in the signing of economic agreements and collaborations in banking, agriculture, energy, security, and religious affairs. Observers note that African economic diplomacy has become more effective than traditional political discourse, achieving significant diplomatic gains, notably an increasing number of African countries establishing consulates in the cities of Laayoune and Dakhla in Western Sahara, along with a growing number of nations supporting Morocco's "autonomy plan," which has garnered support from approximately two-thirds of African countries and has been endorsed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 2797.
As reported by alquds.co.uk.
